Review the healthy snack and bakery products nominated and vote today for your selection as the top healthy school snack of the bunch. Stay tuned for the results of this contest, which will be released near the end of September, along with an exclusive look at the winning product.

There's a reason why better-for-you is trending and "perfect-for-you" isn't. According to the August 2018 "U.S. Better for You Eating Trends" market report from Mintel, just 7 percent of consumers say they're strict with themselves to make sure their diet is as healthy as possible, and just three in 10 say they maintain a healthy diet most of the time.

Puffed and extruded snacks cover a lot of ground: from cheese snacks to multigrain chips and pork rinds, they dominate the snack aisle. And they span a wide range of snacking occasions, from fun and indulgent to mindfully better-for-you.

Many snack producers are adding interesting flavors and ingredients to their pretzels. Recent product introductions include pretzel nuggets filled with peanut butter and dark chocolate, as well as more gluten-free options.

People have always had a love affair with sweet baked goods like pastries, doughnuts and muffins. Today, however, we want sweet treats that are delicious and sometimes even a bit more nutritious, but only slightly less indulgent.

The world of pizza is growing more diverse. The industry is more accommodating toward those with Celiac disease or who prefer to eat gluten-free, and mainstream consumers now have a variety of crusts to choose from, to boot.

When we consider the cookie market today, it's a far cry from the ones that your grandma used to serve: They come in all shapes and sizes, and some can even be considered a "better for you" snack now, too.

While fresh bread is the largest category in the bakery industry, it has remained relatively flat for the past several years. But several emerging trends have fostered growth, pointing the way toward future potential for the category.

The current state of snacks and bakery in foodservice reflects the "have your cake and eat it, too" polarity of today's consumers. We dine out to treat ourselves, yet we still have a nagging sense of responsibility to improved health and wellness.

Despite better-for-you and health trends transforming essentially every food and beverage category, the indulgent bakery snack market, including snack cakes, pastries, doughnuts, and muffins, is generally faring well.